David A's New 2x3 Bench Top CNC

[Ntl]

Each toolpath for the individual cuts has the tool feed rate set at 360 ipm.
And you can clearly see in the video that each cutting speed is different.

Attachment 423242

Ok so what's the deal with the mm/sec? You're working in inches so change that to inches/min. I'm guessing that's part of the problem. That's why I was asking for the vectric file before it's alot easier to figure things out when we can see what you see.

[Ntl]

Yep 360mm/sec = 850.4 inches/per minute mystery solved for that part at least.

[davida1234]

It seems confusing if the native units are mm and you are using inches for your parts and machine travel.

This was clarified by Olf above. UCCNC uses "units" and you tell it to use mm or inches for units.
I think. The way the manual is written is pretty geeky. Hence my problems understanding it.

I also don't understand the homing speed if that's 100imp that seems pretty crazy fast to me..

What is crazy fast about 100 ipm? All my machines home about that speed.

I think I'm going to download the manual before I keep asking dumb questions.

[Ntl]

This was clarified by Olf above. UCCNC uses "units" and you tell it to use mm or inches for units.
I think. The way the manual is written is pretty geeky. Hence my problems understanding it.



What is crazy fast about 100 ipm? All my machines home about that speed.

It just seems fast to me since I would be worried if a switch failed 100ipm crash vs 10ipm which is what I'm using. I also would think that going slower into the switch would be more accurate. Maybe it's because I'm using some cheap proximity sensors that are NO so I worry about it more than if I had NC sensors.

I still don't understand what set's the unit's by configuring the steps? How does it know since with that controller isn't the steps your overall turn ratio?

[davida1234]

Yep 360mm/sec = 850.4 inches/per minute mystery solved for that part at least.

Congratulations, yes, I think you did solve it.

Even when you set the "units" to inches, all tools are still
at mm/sec. Great trap for a newbie to UCCNC like me.


For my supposed 120 ipm cut, feed was set to 120mm/sec = 283 ipm was the actual feed.

Both the 240 ipm and 360 ipm cuts, the machine cut them at 400 ipm, the max feed.

The full depth cut (set to 125 mm/sec) was actually cut at 295 ipm.

I am surprised the bit didn't break.

[davida1234]

Maybe it's because I'm using some cheap proximity sensors that are NO so I worry about it more than if I had NC sensors.

I am using inexpensive proximity switches as well.

From what I understand (which is not much), it is
quite an elaborate circuit to use NO e-switches.

[Ntl]

I am using inexpensive proximity switches as well.

From what I understand (which is not much), it is
quite an elaborate circuit to use NO e-switches.

I just know that you are supposed to use NC since if one is bad it will show that it's tripped and you won't be able to crash the axis. I didn't know any better when I ordered them and I'm just living dangerously lol. The irony is that they say to use NC switches but most probes are NO so go figure. As far as being elaborate mine are just wired up in parallel to their own inputs and work as they should.

[GME]

What is crazy fast about 100 ipm? All my machines home about that speed.

David, when I built my first CNC, I read that homing at slower speeds yields a more accurate result. Dan uses 10 ipm. Mine is set for 5 ipm. Admittedly, 5 ipm is very conservative, but it doesn't matter to me. Before I shut down for the day, I move all axes to very close to their homing switches. When I start up again, it only takes a few seconds to home.

I only chimed in, because you asked the question. I am not criticizing the speed you use. If 100 ipm has been working for you, and maintains the gantry's mechanical square, what more could you want? I tend to stay on the conservative side, but that's just me. My previous machine would probably rapids at 1000 ipm (advertised up to 1200). Yet, I kept my velocity set at 600 for X and Y. On a 4 x 4 in a hobby shop setting, 600 ipm did the job just fine.

Gary

[OlfCNC]

David, when I built my first CNC, I read that homing at slower speeds yields a more accurate result. Dan uses 10 ipm. Mine is set for 5 ipm. Admittedly, 5 ipm is very conservative, but it doesn't matter to me. Before I shut down for the day, I move all axes to very close to their homing switches. When I start up again, it only takes a few seconds to home.

I only chimed in, because you asked the question. I am not criticizing the speed you use. If 100 ipm has been working for you, and maintains the gantry's mechanical square, what more could you want? I tend to stay on the conservative side, but that's just me. My previous machine would probably rapids at 1000 ipm (advertised up to 1200). Yet, I kept my velocity set at 600 for X and Y. On a 4 x 4 in a hobby shop setting, 600 ipm did the job just fine.

Gary

You can set separate up and down homing speeds in the UCCNC. The up speed can be fast and the down speed low and it will still give you a precise home position even if the homing up movement happens fast.
The only problem with fast homing speed is if the home switch fails and is not detected for some reason and the axis crashes into the mechanical endlimit, that could possibly damage the ballnut if the speed and the force is high enough.
I'm too homing with high speeds and crash like that have never happened though.

[Ntl]

That was the only "Davids_Profile" in the UCCNC folder.

Ok here's another dumb question since the file you posted doesn't match the screen shot.

Did you hit the Apply settings?

Also the file doesn't make sense since it says "none" next to slave axis. Did you hardware pair your Y axis?

Just some things that might be helpful. I'll read up on the whole units thing since I still don't understand how it's in inches even the UCCNC PP is mm. (edit: I read up on it and I get it now maybe someone from UCCNC will write a inches PP for Vectric..)

See if you can double check the file that Gerry had you post since it doesn't jive with your screen shot and if you are using software pairing then that't not your confg. file.

Dan

[davida1234]

As far as being elaborate mine are just wired up in parallel to their own inputs and work as they should.

Sorry, I miswrote. I meant normally NC.

[davida1234]

Dan uses 10 ipm. Mine is set for 5 ipm. Admittedly, 5 ipm is very conservative, but it doesn't matter to me. Before I shut down for the day, I move all axes to very close to their homing switches. When I start up again, it only takes a few seconds to home.

My previous machine would probably rapids at 1000 ipm (advertised up to 1200). Yet, I kept my velocity set at 600 for X and Y.

There might definitely be some truth to that. I usually home again once
its homed but your approaches might be more safe. Will try that out.

As to the rapids, I don't like those those hyper speeds either. Just
unnecessary stress on everything. I ran those sample cuts only to see
where the limits of the machine are.

[davida1234]

The only problem with fast homing speed is if the home switch fails and is not detected for some reason and the axis crashes into the mechanical endlimit, that could possibly damage the ballnut if the speed and the force is high enough. I'm too homing with high speeds and crash like that have never happened though.

I think Dan's and Gary's train of thought is wise.
Just no reason to risk damage to save a split second.

[davida1234]

Did you hardware pair your Y axis?

A is slaved to Y in UCCNC.

(edit: I read up on it and I get it now maybe someone from UCCNC will write a inches PP for Vectric..)

I think I understand half of it. Not having a PP in UCCNC and
having to rely on Mach3 PP's is definitely a question mark for me.

See if you can double check the file that Gerry had you post since it doesn't jive with your screen shot and if you are using software pairing then that't not your confg. file

That's what Gerry told me too. I don't know where my "real"
confg. file is. But the machine is running with it. Go figure.

[OlfCNC]

A is slaved to Y in UCCNC.

I think I understand half of it. Not having a PP in UCCNC and
having to rely on Mach3 PP's is definitely a question mark for me.

That's what Gerry told me too. I don't know where my "real"
confg. file is. But the machine is running with it. Go figure.

G-codes is industry standard, it is not Mach3 who invented them.
There are several "dialects", but the UCCNC g-code language is basically the same as the Mach3 language as far as I see and this is why the mach3 PP works.

The profile file is in the UCCNC/Profiles folder. The file with the .pro extension with the same name as the name of the profile you running in the UCCNC. Default.pro or whatever you named your profile you running.

[ger21]

Go to the Settings > General page, and in the upper right corner, the Current Profile is listed.
That's the name of the profile you are using.

As mentioned, UCCNC has two homing speeds. It moves at the first speed until the switch is tripped. The actual home position is when the machine backs off the switch, so you set the backoff speed slow. This let's the machine home fast, but still be very accurate.

Even when you set the "units" to inches, all tools are still
at mm/sec. Great trap for a newbie to UCCNC like me.

This has nothing to do with UCCNC at all. You have your feedrates set wrong in V Carve.

Regarding UCCNC "units".

UCCNC does not support G20/G21 (inches/mm) conversion, so it runs in whatever units it's configured in.
This is done with the steps/unit setting. If you enter the number of steps required to move 1 inch, then it's setup in inches.
If you enter the number of steps required to move 1 mm, then it's setup in mm.

It's important that you use the same units of measurement throughout the program.
This is no different than any other control program.

[mactec54]

Below is the code I ran for the video. It seems it has the F850.4.

I am not a windows user so please bear with me. I looked
and searched for UCCNC.pro and could not see it and don't
know where to find it.

G-CODE:
( TOOLPATHS )
( File created: Sunday, June 30, 2019 - 02:32 PM)
( for Mach2/3 from Vectric )
( Material Size)
( X= 36.000, Y= 22.500, Z= 0.705)
()
(Toolpaths used in this file
(1D at 360)
(Tools used in this file: )
(0 = Plastic 1/4)
N100G00G20G17G90G40G49G80
N110G70G91.1
N120T0M06
N130 (Plastic 1/4)
N140G00G43Z0.7874H0
N150S10000M03
N160(Toolpath:- 1D at 360)
N170()
N180G94 ( Remove this Line and try it again)
N190X0.0000Y0.0000F850.4
N200G00X22.5000Y6.0108Z0.2362
N210G1Z0.0000F236.2
N220G1X22.3557Z-0.2500
N230G1X13.7500Z-0.2500F850.4
N240G1Y6.1608
N250G1X22.5000
N260G1Y6.0108
N270G1X22.3557
N280G00Z0.2362
N290G00Z0.7874
N300G00X0.0000Y0.0000
N310M09
N320M30
%

Try this

( TOOLPATHS )
( File created: Sunday, June 30, 2019 - 02:32 PM)
( for Mach2/3 from Vectric )
( Material Size)
( X= 36.000, Y= 22.500, Z= 0.705)
(1D at 360)
(0 = Plastic 1/4)
N100G00G20G17G90G40G49G80
N110G70G91.1
N120T0M06
N140G00G43Z0.7874H0
N150S10000M03
N190G0X0.0000Y0.0000
N200G00X22.5000Y6.0108Z0.2362
N210G1Z0.0000F236.2
N220G1X22.3557Z-0.2500
N230G1X13.7500Z-0.2500F360.
N240G1Y6.1608
N250G1X22.5000
N260G1Y6.0108
N270G1X22.3557
N280G00Z0.2362
N290G00Z0.7874
N300G00X0.0000Y0.0000
N310M09
N320M30
%

[Ntl]

So David have you been able to figure out why your G0 doesn't work?

Have you tried to execute a G0 move in the MDI that way you can see if it runs at 400ipm, the PP is calling out a G00 so I would see if G00 and G0 work the same in the MDI.

I was looking at UCCNC and in the manual it says G0 but the PP runs G00, I would assume that this isn't the problem otherwise no one using uccnc would have rapids with that PP.

I don't know enough about it to know how that controller works, I'd just be curious to hear from the guys who use it to know if it would make a difference.

I just figured it would be a simple thing to check out to eliminate it causing the problem. It would also be very easy to edit the PP if it turns out that uccnc doesn't recognize the G00. But like I said I would think that if it didn't recognize that move that it wouldn't do anything or would error out.


Dan

[Ntl]

Regarding UCCNC "units".

UCCNC does not support G20/G21 (inches/mm) conversion, so it runs in whatever units it's configured in.
This is done with the steps/unit setting. If you enter the number of steps required to move 1 inch, then it's setup in inches.
If you enter the number of steps required to move 1 mm, then it's setup in mm.

It's important that you use the same units of measurement throughout the program.
This is no different than any other control program.

Gerry do you think that could be the problem "G20"?

I didn't know that uccnc didn't recognize those and the mach PP is calling out "G00G20" in his file. "Just tossing it out there"

I'm also going to say he's running a different config file than the one he posted otherwise his router wouldn't work. Hopefully he can find the correct one, but assuming it matches the screen shot what could cause the G00 to not be working at his maximum velocity "400ipm"?

Dan

[davida1234]

This has nothing to do with UCCNC at all.

You are right, thank you, it was my own doing.

I guess it was a bit late yesterday.